Wind Energy

Energy Mix

4% of world 🌎
(#6 resource)
2% of US 🇺🇸
(#6 resource)

Electricity Generation

8% of world 🌎
(#5 resource)
10% of US 🇺🇸
(#4 resource)

Onshore vs Offshore Installed Capacity*

93% onshore
7% offshore

Change in Global Wind Electricity Generation

Increase:
⬆83%
(2018-2023)

_{*Onshore wind - wind turbines installed on land; offshore wind - wind turbines installed in bodies of water}

Most Installed Wind Electricity Capacity

Total: China 43% 🇨🇳
Onshore: China 43% 🇨🇳
Offshore: China 50% 🇨🇳,
EU+UK 45% 🇪🇺🇬🇧

Most Wind Electricity Generation

Total: China 36%🇨🇳,
EU+UK 25% 🇪🇺🇬🇧,
US 21%🇺🇸
 Onshore: China 36% 🇨🇳,
US 23%🇺🇸
EU+UK 22% 🇪🇺🇬🇧
Offshore: EU+UK 58% 🇪🇺🇬🇧,
China 39% 🇨🇳

Highest Penetration

Denmark 56% 🇩🇰
of country’s electricity
comes from wind

Most Installed Capacity

Texas 27%
of US installed wind electricity capacity*

Most Generation

Texas 29%
of US wind electricity*

Highest Penetration

Iowa 59%
of state’s electricity
comes from wind

Change in US Wind Electricity Generation

Increase:
⬆56%
(2018-2023)

A wind turbine includes a nacelle with blades and a rotor hub mounted on a tower:

• The nacelle houses the generator and gearbox. It also supports the rotor, which connects the blades at the hub. It is the size of a school bus (50 ft long)
• Blades on onshore turbines can be 203 ft long, while offshore blades can reach 351 ft (about the length of a football field)
• Average tower height for onshore turbines is 466 ft, but can reach 574 ft, while the tallest offshore tower is 853 ft (GE Haliade-X), about the height of a 60-story building

Winds are stronger and steadier the higher they are from the ground. As wind velocity increases, wind power grows exponentially. In addition, longer blades cover a larger swept area and can harness more wind.

Wind power equation:

$$P_{wind} = {1\over2}ρAv^3$$

ρ: air density
A: swept area = 𝝅r²
r: radius of the rotor
v: air speed

Costs for offshore projects are 2-3x costs for onshore + higher transmission costs

1. Onshore: unsubsidized LCOE* = $27 - $73
2. Offshore: unsubsidized LCOE = $74 - $139

*_{LCOE (levelized cost of energy) - allows for the comparison of different electricity generating technologies}

Compare costs with subsidies and for other resources on the Introduction to Renewable Energy Fast Facts.

Costs of wind energy have fallen over time:

Avian Concerns

Potential Solutions:

• Siting (avoid migratory corridors)
• Increasing participation in the Eagle Take Permit Program
• GPS on condors
• Replacing older wind turbines with new ones 
• Detection radars
• AI to halt or adjust wind operations when certain types of birds are detected

Bat Concerns

• Larger problem than birds: an estimated 450,000 – 888,000 killed annually in the US by wind turbines, but data is limited
• Deaths typically happen at night, during migration periods, and during times of low wind

Potential Solutions:

• Increase cut-in speed*
• Ultrasonic acoustics
• Seasonal operational curtailment
• AI to halt or adjust wind operations when bats are detected

*_{Cut-in speed - wind speed at which the turbine blades start rotating and generating power}

Drivers

• Abundant, nondepletable resource
• Fuel (wind) is free
• Low climate and environmental impact
• Onshore wind: lowest unsubsidized LCOE; dual land use with agriculture; relatively short implementation timeframe from concept to electricity production; easy to repair (modular)
• Offshore wind: fewer site availability constraints; stronger and steadier winds
• Technology innovation in turbines has increased productivity and driven costs down 
• Policy and financial incentives (zero emission tax credits, investment tax credits, production tax credits, feed-in tariffs, renewable energy targets)

Barriers

• Local opposition (NIMBY/BANANA*) often because of misconceptions
• Visual and noise pollution
• Avian/bat concerns
• Site-specific resource
• Challenging grid integration due to intermittency
• Insufficient transmission infrastructure and interconnection challenges
• Inconsistent policy support
• Offshore wind: greater regulation/permitting hurdles; expensive installation, operation, and maintenance; 2-3x LCOE of onshore wind
• Lack of recyclability of composite materials
• Constrained supply chains

Climate Impact: Low

• Near-zero emissions

Environmental Impact: Low

• No air pollution
• No water use
• Small land footprint
• Lack of recycling of composite materials
• Impact on birds and bats

^{Updated September 2024}